Heat insulating panel



Jan. 4, 1944.

B. LABAREE ET AL HEAT I-NSULATING vPANEL Filed Aug. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Benjclmm Labaree BY QobQrJc/kni/p M ATTo'eNEY Jan. 4, 1944.

B. LABAREE ET Al.

HEAT INSULATING PANEL 2 shets-sneet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1941 w w u. u

;VENT0RS Berg' amm Labate@ @Obert Mm Q ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 4, 1944 HEAT INSULA'IIN G PANEL Benjamin Labaree and Robert K'. Knipe, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 29, 1941, Serial No. 408,776

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a heat insulating panel and more particularly to a panel of a boiler enclosure. Such enclosures are, for instance, used on the boilers of ships. More particularly the invention relates to panels which are exposed to the combustion gases after the latter have transmitted a great part of their heat to the water in the boiler.

An object of the invention is a heat insulating panel which is light in weight and yet strong enough to withstand considerable pressure. This object is of great importance for ships Where every pound saved in dead weight means a corresponding increase in payload or, in the case of war vessels in armament, fuel, cruising radius,

etc.

Another object of the invention is a panel of the indicated type which can easily and speedily be assembled, and which can be made in any desired size and configuration so as to adapt it to all occurring requirements.

An object of the invention is also a panel of the indicated type which is gas-tight and which will retain this property as well as its strength for great numbers of years. The latter objects are likewise of outstanding importance for war vessels which may be laid off for years in peace time but which should be able to be taken into use again with the least delay for reconditioning in case of a sudden emergency.

The above outlined and other objects are attained, according to the invention, by apanel consisting of corrosion resistant metal, having inner and outer walls or sheets which are spaced from each other and inter-connected along their margins by a transverse wall portion, and the main portions of the walls or sheets of which are additionally inter-connected by a plurality of strips or the like. The strips serve not only for inter-bracing the walls or sheets but also for holding insulating material such as uncalcined diatornaceous earth in place.

Further objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the emed by the dash-and-dot line 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on a larger scale of the panel shown in Fig. 2 and of adjoining portions of the boiler enclosure and its supporting structure substantially along line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 4 but on a smaller scale and of another portion of the enclosure showing panels 0f substantially the same construction as that shown in Fig. 2 and also panels of slightly different types.

Fig. l shows a boiler having upper and lower drums 6. The drums are inter-connected by tubes (not shown). The entire boiler proper is encased by panels generally designaterdwbyrthehw e. The outer wall I4 is outwardly flanged at I6 and the flange I6 is reinforced by a band Il of heavier gauge. The ange IS and the band I'I are connected to one another b-y electric spot welding. Z-section rails I8 have one of their arms spot welded to the outer surface of the wall I4 so as to reinforce and stiffen the latter.

The inner panel I5 is likewise outwardly flanged at I9 all around its margins. lThe flange I9 is continued by a flange 20 extending parallel to the main portion of the sheet I5 and being directed toward the middle of the panel.

Z-formed strips, bands or the like 2l have their inner arms 22 resting against and spot welded to the unpierced outer surface of the sheet Iii. The main portion 23 of the member 2l extends outwardly and the outer arrn 20 rests against the inner surface of the outer sheet I 1. Screws 25, preferably of the type cutting their own thread, are driven through registering holes in the sheet I4 and the flange 2i), and in sheet I l and the arms 24 of the members 2l so as to securely fasten the panel I5 to the panel I4.

Before connecting the outer and inner sheets by means of the screws 25, the trough or open top box constituted by the panel I5 and its flange I9 is lled with insulating material such as uncalcined diatomaceous earth.

As clearly shown in Figure 2, the bracing strips 2| are spaced apart and arranged substantially in the transverse planes containing the reinforcing strips I of the outer Wall sheet i4, and the reinforcing effect of the strips I3 is carried through them to the inner wall sheet l5.

The completed panels are connected to the supporting framework l2, i3 by bolts 25 which may also serve for the connection of the braclcets l! supporting the outer panel 9.

The outer panel 9, the sheet lll with its reinforcing members Il, E8 and the members 22! consist preferably of ordinary austenitic stainless steel, the strength of which has materially been increased by cold rolling. The inner sheet l which is exposed to the combustion gases consists preferably of another corrosion resisting material, namely of a material which can withstand the attack of those hot gases. Such material is, for instance, stainless steel containing about 25% chromium and 12% nickel.

The inner panels designated generally by the numerals 2l in Fig. 5 are substantially of the same construction as the inner panels shown in Figures 2 to The supporting beam i3 Fig. 5 is covered by an inner panel which comprises oppositely ilanged inner and outer sheets 2t, 223. The flanges 3S, telescope into each other and are connected by welding along the line t?? after the space between the sheets 28, has been filled with an insulating material. The panel is fastened to the member i3 by a belt $3 which enters into a nut it which later is secured to the sheet 28 in the interior of the panel.

The panel generally designated by the numeral 35 in Fig. 5 diers only slightly from the panel shown in 1figures 2 to 4. The outer sheet 35 may henojjhe construction as the panel Mi only that one* marginal portion 3l extends in the saine plane as the main portion the sheet so as to be connected with the marginal flange of the panel 2l at one corner of the boiler enclosure. The inner panel 35 is flanged at 39 and this ange is continued by a separate angle section member t3 having its one arm welded to the flange Whereas the outer arrn di rests against the outer panel 35 to which. it may be welded or screwed as to the flange in Figure e.

All the connections between adjoining panels or between panels and the structure are made gas-tight by appropriate gaskets E.

The invention is, of course, not restricted to the illustrated and described embodiments. Anybody skilled in the art can design modiiications so as to adapt the invention to specific requirements. All such modifications falling within the spirit of the invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A light-weight metallic panel unit :for boiler enclosures comprising inner and outer thin-gauge wall sheets of substantially like extent interconnected substantially continuously in their margins by a transverse wall sheet, said sheets together forming a closed box structure, spaced generally parallel reinforcing strips extending across the outside face of said outer wall sheet and secured thereto, and relatively narrow bracing strips arranged substantially in the transverse planes of said reinforcing strips and in spaced apart relation lengthwise of said strips, said bracing strips extending between and interconnecting said inner and outer wall sheets, the closed box formed by said wall sheets being adapted to be lled with loose insulating material such as uncalcined diatomaceous earth.

2. A light-weight metallic panel unit for boiler enclosures comprising an inner one-piece thingauge sheet constituting the bottom and side Walls of an open-top box-like structure including an attaching flange integral with and eX- tending around the margins of said side Walls, and an outer thin-gauge sheet having its body iitting against the marginal attaching flange of said inner sheet and secured thereto to form therewith a closed box structure, spaced generally parallel reinforcing strips extending across the outside face of said outer sheet and secured thereto, and relatively narrow bracing strips having main bodies extending substantially normal to and between the inner and outer sheets and secured thereto through their ends adjacent the respective sheets, said bracing strips being arranged in spaced apart relation lengthwise of the reinforcing strips and disposed substantially in the transverse planes of said strips, the space inclosed by said box structure being adapted to be filled with loose insulating material such as uncalcined diatomaceous earth.

3. A light-weight panel unit for boiler enclosures comprising a shallow box-like structure fabricated of two main subassemblies of substantially similar marginal form and extent and made of light-gauge sheet metal, the one subassembly forming the outer Wall of the panel and includm ing a substantially flat wall sheet having marginal panel-attaching ilanges secured thereto and spaced reinforcing strips secured to the outer face or' said flat sheet, the other subassernbly being an open-top box-like structure having a substantially fiat bottom wall forming the inner wall of the panel, and side walls having edge flanges arranged in a common plane generally paralleling the iiat bottom Wall, and spaced narrow bracing strips disposed on the bottom wall so as to be substantially transversely aligned with the reinforcing strips on the outer wall in the final assembly, said bracing strips having main bodies extending substantially normal to the bottom wall and end flanges, and being secured in subassernbly through one of their end flanges to the bottom Wall and with their other end flanges disposed substantially in the same plane as the side wall edge flanges, the outer subassembly being brought, in the nal assembly, with its flat wall sheet into overlapping engagement with the side wall edge flanges and the last-named end ilanges of the bracing strips and secured thereto in the overlap, thereby Completing the panel structure.

BENJAMIN LABAREE. ROBERT K. KNIFE. 

